Webster-Jackson Trail

The Webster-Jackson Trail climbs the southern ridgeline of the Crawford Notch headwall, providing access to both Mount Webster (3,910 feet) and Mount Jackson (4,052 feet) — two of the southernmost 4,000-footers in the Presidential Range. The trail departs from near the AMC Highland Center at Crawford Notch, crossing under the historic Boston and Maine Railroad tracks before ascending steeply through northern hardwood forest transitioning to krummholz spruce-fir as elevation increases. Mount Webster's open summit offers the finest direct view into Crawford Notch of any accessible trail, with the entire glacially carved valley spread below and the Willey Range and Twin Mountain summits visible beyond. The connecting ridge to Mount Jackson passes through an unusual section of alpine heath and open ledges before reaching the summit cone, which sits just below treeline with views toward Mount Washington and the Southern Presidential ridgeline. This route serves as one of the more accessible approaches to the Crawford Path — the oldest continuously maintained hiking trail in the United States, dating to 1819 — and AMC Mizpah Spring Hut. The Southern Presidential ridgeline visible from these summits is among the most dramatic landscapes in New England, with the Great Gulf Wilderness falling away to the east of the high summits.